Interlocking fastener



April 6 1926.

e E. PRN-rlcs INTERLOCKING FASTENER Filed April 20. 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet l Apia 6,1926. 1,580,078 I 1 G. E. PRE NTICE v INTERLOCKING FASTENER Filed April 20 1925 2 SheetS -S heet 2 Patented 7 Apr. 6, 1926.

uurrlezo- \STIA'TES enonen nnwnnn rnnmrcn, or BERLIN, oonnnc'rrcurl INTEBLOGKING FASTENEB.

Application filed April: 20, 1925. Serial 1%. 24,472.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE EDWARD PREN'rIoE, a citizen of the United States, residin i at Berlin, in the county-of Hartford and tate of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Im rovements in Interlocking Fasteners, of Eich the following is a specification. 1

My invention relates to imp ovements in interlocking fasteners of the kind in which a series of mating locking members are arranged along the opposed edges of a pair 0 stri s of fabric or the like that constitute the bor er walls of anopening .or gap in a garment, shoe, rece tacle, or other article and that are adapte to be operated for being brought'to the locking position or for being disengaged by means of a slide that is mounted thereon for longitudinal movement, and the object of my improvement is to. pro-. duce an interlocking fastener structure in which the active interlocking elements are in the form of separate structures that are individually mounted along. the fabric ed es, are of simple form, economical in manu a'cture, and convenient and efficient in use.

In the accompanying drawing Figure 1 is a front elevation'of a set of interlocking fasteners embodyin m invention, arranged along the opposed e ges of a pair of strips of fabric, and a slide.

Figure 2 is a similar view on an enlarged scale and with the front plate of the slide removed. V

Figure 3 is a sectional view of the slide shown in Fig. I; a

Figure 4 is an end view of the slide.

Fi ure 5 is a plan view of the blank for the s ide.

Figure 6 is a lan view of ablank for one of the interloc ing members previous to swaging the yoke portion.

Figure 7 is a similar .view of the same after swaging. .-v v

Figure 8 1s.an end View of the same, after being bent so as to receive the fabric edge.

Figure 9 is a fragmentary view on a further enlarged scale and in section showing a pairtof interengagedelements and adjacent par s. H v

Figure 10 is a front elevation corresponding to Fig.1 showing a modification of the interlocking fasteners.

Figurell "is a sectional view on the line 11 -'-11 of Fig. 10;

Figure 12 is a plan view of the blafnk for (1)I1B of the fasteners shown in Figs. 10 and 1 Figure 13 is an. edge view of the same. Figure 14 is a plan view of the blank for another modification of the interlocking. fasteners.

Figure 15 is a top view of the same bent into U-shape previous to applying to the stringer or braid.

Figure 16 1s a sectional view -on the line f 16 16 of Fig. 14.

Figure 17 is a longitudinal sectional View of a few of the fasteners of the form that is shown in Figs. 10 to 13 inclusive and on an enlarged scale, the fabric structure being shown generally diagrammatically, and showing in particular the overhang of the corners of the individual yokes of the fastener elements relatively to the edges of the wings.

My improved interlocking fastener comprises a set of interlocking fastener members 10 that, as shown, are distributed along the opposed edges 11 of a pair of strips 12 of braid, the structures of said edges 11 being relatively enlarged by incorporating therein a cord 13.

A slide 15, mounted for longitudinal movement on said members 10 serves to bring the mating members into engagement when moved upwardly, as in Fig. 1, and the reverse movement effects disengagement thereon.

The slide 15 is made of sheet metal and comprises a front plate 16 and a rear plate 17 that are positioned in spaced relation and are interconnected by means of an iny tegral neck 18 inthe form of a return bend at the upper end. Flanges 19 at the lateral 95 I edges of said plates serve as guides for the interlocking members 10 for movement in junctionsof the body portions of the plates 105 p 16 and 17 and the neck 18. Said neck 18 comprises the return'bend portion 22 at the upper end and a pair of opposed downwardly directed arms 23 that merge with the inner guide walls 21 and, by reason of 1g v For movement in the reverse 10o the swaging mentioned may be in face to face contact.

A handle may be provided for the slide and may conveniently be applied to the pair of outlets 26, positioned in laterally per inner sides by l feet the locking.

spaced relation, for the exit of the two series of interlocking members 10 individually, and said outlets 26 are defined on the upthe swaged walls 21 mentioned. Said wa s 21 converge downwardl and inwardly and meet at the apex 27 whic 1 is at the axial line.

The outer boundaries of the outlets 26 are defined by the inclined converging portions 28 of the edge flange walls 19, said portions 28 meeting individually at an obtuse angle the parallel wall portions 25, the vertices 29 thereof being located appreciably below the vertex 27.

Reverting to the interlockin members 10, shown in Figures 1-9 inclusive, these are formed of sheet metal; of symmetrical form; the blank being swaged at the middle portion and at the edges which correspond to the longitudinal ends in use; are bent into U-shape to provide spaced clamping arms; are slipped over the edge portion of the braid, and finally; said arms are forcibly engaged with the fabric.

The arms 30 mentioned generally embrace the enlarged cord portion 13 of the fabric edge and the free ends thereof are provided with inwardly directed end portions 31 of hook-like form that are separated by a narrower slit-like space that more closely fits against the braid 12. The structure described permits securing the interlocking members 10 to the braid with a minimum of distortion"or deformation, and also provides for a firm connection with the parts snugly fitting one with the other.

Considering the details of the interlocking elements proper, these comprise as to outward appearance a pair of projections 32, one at each longitudinal end that project beyond the adjacent end face 33 and are formed by swaging the edges or ends of the yoke portion 34 that connects the two clamp mg arms 30. The projections 32 are hooklike structures; are similar for the two ends; are similar, also, for the units on the two sides or braid strips; and interen age to ef- In the engaged osition, however, the hooks 32 enter within t e space back of the adjacent yoke 34 and are substantially concealed. Also, as a detail, in the, engaged position the outer face of the yoke 34 fits against the edge 11 of the raid 12.

I prefer to have the contour or edge portion 35 of the hook 32 of rounded vor substantially semi-circular form and to provide on the inner face of the adjacent portion of the yoke 34 a seat 36 of similar form, where- ,by the hook 32 of one unit will seat itself within the seat 36 of the cooperating unit. The structure defined provides for flexibility'under conditions of use.

Considering the structure as a whole, the parts described are adapted to be constructed and arranged so as to'eiiect a sub- ?tlimtially tight closure for a gap or the In carrying out the invention disclosed departures from the specific form of structure shown and described above may be made, having in mind particularly the details of the interlocking fasteners, and some of the modifications shown will be briefly described.

In the form that is shown in Figs. 10' to 13 inclusive the interlocking fastener units 10 are made from a substantially fiat blank, without swaging the material at the yoke 34 or anywhere else, and making said blank from material of appreciable thickness. The

wings or clamping arms 30 are wedge-shape, having converging border edges 40. In use, the parts of said edges 40 that cooperate with the mating units 10 are adjacent the corners 41 at the junctions of the wings 30 and the yoke portion.

The corner 41 is defined in part by the outer face 42 of the yoke 34*. By reason of using material of appreciable thickness, partlcularly as to the yoke 34", there is a corner 43 that is defined by the inner face 44 of the yoke 34 and extreme edge face 45 of said 4 material. Said inner corner 43 extends beyond or overhan s slightly though appreciably the latera edge 40 of the adjacent win 30.

T us with adjacent lateral edges 40 in abutment the inner corners 43 enter within the space 46 between the wings 30 and operate as holding or locking means to efiect what ma be described as front and back engagement of the units 10.

In the form that is shown in Figs. 14, 15,

and 16 a flat blank is used and the front and back engagement is'efiected by means of a special formation of the top and bottom edges of the yoke portion 34 of the units 7 10", whereby relatively more pronounced interengaging elements are provided. As shown, the bottom edge is provided with a downwardly :dire'cted V-shaped projection 50 and the top edge is provided with a correspondingly shaped recess or depression 51.

In all of the forms shown and described a substantially tight closure of the gap is eflected and the holding efiect against opentached to or an integral end -of eac ing of the gap involves of wed or keystones, doveta' ed relatively one is cooperation of similarly inclined edges.

As to the handle 50 for the slide, thls may be generallv of disc-like form, as indicated by broken lines in Fi 1, having a perforation adjacent one en for loose engagement with some form of loop 52 that is itself atpart of the blank. ral with the to the other. There The loop 52 shown is nte bottom edge 53 of the top' or rent plate 15; extends forwardly and upwardly and in spaced relation to said plate 15; has the free end portion '54 reduced in width so as to serve as a rivet in engagement with the arms 23 of the return bend structure 22; said rivet portion 54 being entered within registering openings 55 in said arms 23; and, finally, has'the tip ends 56 headed over.

I claim as my invention 1. In a fastener construction, opposed edge portions of fabric, fastener units mounted thereon in staggered relation, hooks on said units for en aging with mating units, sai hooks bein ocated one at each edge at the of said units, said units comprising each a part that is opposed to a portion of the inside face of one of said edge ortions and that is in face to face contact therewith, and saidhooksbeing in the form I engagement of parts that cooperate generally after the manner the structures being d. to provide hoo of extensions at the top and bottom edges of sand art. v

2. a fastener construction as described in claim 1, the face of the material of said a hook and the adjacent portion of said part that is opposed to said portion of the inside face being inclined so as to fit the corresponding face of a mating unit.

3. In a fastener construction, opposed edge portio'nsof fabric, fastenerunits mounted thereon in staggered relation, said units being individually of U-shape, com rising apart that is opposed" to and in ace to face contact with a rtion of one of said edge portions, and aving arms that are exten I edge portion, and means on the top and bottom edges of said part similar one to the other, provided on eac of said units for cooperating with a mating 'unit as fastener means. l

4. A fastener unit made of sheet metal, comprising two spaced arms that are connected by a yoke structure, the two edge portions of said oke structure bein swaged tions of said yoke structure adjacent an inward from said hook-like ro ections being swaged'to provide seats or the hook-like pro ections of cooperating fastener units.

. GEORGE EDWARD PRENTIOE.

ed from said ,part and embrace said -like projections an the org 

